Some of Your World’s dedicated Occupational Therapists have shared their stories about their occupational therapist employment opportunities. They discuss their commitment, positive impact, and personal achievements on their journeys so far in various occupational therapist roles.

Could you please introduce yourself? Can you explain your role as an Occupational Therapist with Your World?

Erika, Band 5:

“I’ve been a qualified Occupational Therapist since November 2019. My current role with Your World is with NHS UHL at Ashton care home. It is a waiting area in a care home. This space is for patients who are ready to leave the hospital.

They no longer need hospital care and have a discharge plan. However, they cannot follow that plan just yet. We review them when they arrive. Most of the time, we can help them become more independent.

We do this by working with them and their family. Together, we create personal goals and enhance their discharge plans. We support people of all ages in many settings.

Chris, Band 7:

“At the moment, I’m a locum OT working full-time in an Intermediate Care Rehabilitation setting. I have been an occupational therapist since 2013.

I have worked in many areas, including elderly care, orthopaedics, and oncology. I also have experience in acute respiratory care, stroke, and accident and emergency. My experience covers a wide range of occupational therapist jobs and understanding the occupational therapist salary in the UK."

Rehema, Band 5:

“I am a band 5 Occupational Therapist currently working within West London Mental Health Trust through Your World. Here, I work within a dedicated Occupational Therapy team.

We provide care that focuses on the needs of our clients. We follow the rules set by registrations and governing bodies. This includes assessments, treatment and discharge planning, group and individual sessions.”

Leslie, Band 7:

"I am an experienced occupational therapist. I have many years of work in specialist and general settings. This includes acute care, rehab, and community work. I adapt my therapy practices to help people live independently."

Helena, Band 6:

“I am an Occupational Therapist and qualified in 2004. My main experience has been in Community Therapy.

I like visiting people in their homes. I help people regain independence through rehabilitation and goal planning. I also provide equipment, which is essential in my work as an occupational therapist.

What inspired you to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy, and how has your career progressed?

E: “Both of my parents were mental health nurses; I have always had my mind set on a medical career. After I worked at my father's job, I met an Occupational Therapist. That changed everything for me!

I qualified just before COVID-19 and started out working as bank staff. Unfortunately, when I landed this role, I was risk assessed not be able to work safely in that area. I was fortunate to find another place where I could work safely.

I spent 5 months working in the community, then I got a locum job with Birmingham County Council. In this role, I assessed needs for minor and major adaptations.

After my maternity leave, I returned to work in mental health. I faced challenges with long COVID, which caused me to take extended sick leave.

When I was ready, I reached out to Your World. They took the time to find a job that fit my skills and supported my recovery needs.

They got a job that became my favourite. It let me improve my Occupational Therapy skills. I also liked having a longer contract because I enjoyed the work. I thought about salary changes for occupational therapists and job opportunities.

C: “I chose to become an OT after doing Camp America with adults and children with disabilities. I met an OT at the camp and thought the role sounded interesting and rewarding. I learned about the occupational therapist degree necessary and the entry requirements."

R: "When I was getting ready for university, a family member was getting help from an OT. This is how I learned about the profession. Following this, I completed my research around OT and realised it was my career path, investigating how to become an occupational therapist and the variety of settings OTs work in.

You can learn more about becoming an Occupational Therapist in the UK here.

L: "I found inspiration in the flexibility of occupational therapy as a career and the diversity of the profession. Your World has helped me find job posts in rural areas. I wanted to try living there, and the pay rates are good. This contributes to my expectations for an occupational therapist's salary.

H: “Before qualifying as an Occupational Therapist, I worked in an acute hospital as a Health Care Assistant. The patients often told me that I had a calming way and was a good listener, which made me a good fit for health and social care."

Can you describe a typical day for you as an Occupational Therapist? What are some of the challenges and rewards you have encountered?

E: “A typical day starts by screening new patients and listing priorities with our small therapy team. We distribute the jobs, assess the new patients, and work with our current patients to achieve their goals.

We will begin regular group work. This will include physical activities and creative tasks. Our goal is to engage patients with different ability levels.

I have faced challenges when senior therapists could not work. At times, I was the most senior staff member. I only had two therapy support workers to assist me. This meant I had to assign tasks based on their importance.

I needed to work efficiently to ensure I completed the most important tasks. This has helped me aim for a band 6 position. It shows the full-time commitment and salary for an occupational therapist.

C: “A typical day includes attending a team meeting in the morning to discuss patients. I plan my assessments for the day. I carry out functional assessments with patients, like washing and dressing assessments or kitchen assessments.

I also assess a patient's home environment. I check for and provide any specialist equipment needed. I plan discharges and complete follow-up referrals for patients leaving the Intermediate Care setting. This work shows the occupational therapy process and teamwork in health and social care.

R: "A typical day for me as an OT includes running group and one-on-one sessions with patients. I work with them both on and off the ward. I also complete assessments of daily living activities and attend meetings, which are fundamental aspects of occupational therapist work."

L: “I start my day by checking emails and my diary, prioritising my caseload and communicating with my colleagues. I like to stay updated on my skills. I work to improve my knowledge so my patients can have the best outcomes, always aware of the wide range of challenges we face.”

H: “The challenges I face as an Occupational Therapist are that each day is different. Patients and their families have higher expectations than before.

This often leads to more daily pressure from service demands. However, the job is rewarding when your patient or family are happy with the work you have done, and you receive an accolade. It gives me job satisfaction to know I’m helping people live independently every day.”

Could you share an experience where you felt your work positively impacted a patient’s life?

E: "In our care home, patients with advanced dementia often feel better after moving in. They have private rooms, which is different from a hospital ward. Some patients, however, do decline and are unable to return to their former cognitive state.

After one patient's condition got worse, despite our best efforts, we had to talk with their family. The patient decided to return to the care home after going home with a care package. This package was not enough because of the patient's aggression.

With the agreement of the patient's family, the patient moved to a suitable facility. This facility supports both the patient and the family.

We want to promote independence. However, these situations show how important it is to have honest conversations. These talks help create good discharge plans and lower the chances of readmission, reflecting the occupational therapy assistant’s role in providing care."

C: “I recently discharged a lady back home who had a knee replacement and required a period of rehabilitation. Before this, she was bed-bound at home and felt she had a poor quality of life.

I provided a special bed, an armchair, and a commode. This helped the carers assist her out of bed. She seemed much happier and more hopeful about the future, demonstrating the power of occupational therapy in private practice.”

R: "During my last placement in mental health, I worked with a re-ablement team. We helped one patient on my small caseload find a role as an OT. I helped him through the whole process of getting a job.

I supported him with everything, from making his CV to going to the interview. He got the job in the end and was very grateful for my support. It was really nice to see their progress, showcasing how we support people through occupational therapy practice.”

L: “I have many years of experience in my job. Recently, at Your World, I help people live in their own homes. I do this by setting realistic goals and expectations that are easy to achieve.”

My goal is to help people live the life they want. The key is to stay realistic and compassionate. I follow the guidelines set by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

H: “Occupational Therapists often go above and beyond to care for patients and their families. They work hard to create positive changes in their lives.”

For example, I spent extra time helping a patient learn how to get on and off the bed. We used special techniques and practiced until they could do it by themselves. This helped us use the occupational therapy process to support people.

How can we further enhance the visibility and understanding of Occupational Therapy? What future goals do you see for Occupational Therapy in improving a patient's health and quality of life?

E: “Working in different areas has shown me that many medical professionals do not understand what Occupational Therapists do. When I work in multi-disciplinary teams, I help them understand OT better. This knowledge benefits the patient.”

I have had a few different experiences in different areas and noticed this recurring issue. Until occupational therapy is better known, patients will be disadvantaged because they will not benefit from an OT.

I have been fortunate to see how an OT's knowledge can help. It enhances the care quality for all our patients. This goal is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Every qualified occupational therapist supports this aim.

C: “OT is a misunderstood and often overlooked profession. Despite this, we are vital members of the MDT, and hospitals and care facilities would not function without us.

OTs must make our voices heard on social media and proudly promote our profession. We must remember our main roles and identities. We should strongly support the patient, especially when others overlook them. This will help us qualify for different roles and opportunities.

R: “I believe it would help to reach more secondary schools and colleges. We should spread awareness about OT. It is important to connect with younger generations. Many of them are deciding on university courses soon.

In my experience, occupational therapy is not often shown as an option. Many people who want to join this field are not entering the profession. We want to change this.

We will inform them about the salary and degree requirements. We will also highlight the rewarding aspects of being an occupational therapist. 

You can learn more about how to become an Occupational Therapist here.

L: “We can help people stay in their homes and communities. We do this by setting realistic goals and listening to them. We also break their goals into smaller, achievable steps. These are the basic skills of an Occupational Therapist, fundamental to health and social care and crucial for patient independence and well-being.”

H: “By promoting the service, we can help patients and their families understand Occupational Therapy. This focus can lead to positive changes in a person's life.

Offering opportunities is important for helping everyone understand the OT role. It also explains why the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) approves us to practice. Occupational Therapists work tirelessly to enhance the visibility and acceptance of our profession, aiming to continuously improve health and social care outcomes across the board.”